Folding seat



W. F. CASPAR FOLDING SEAT March '15, 1932.

Filed Feb. 27. l950 IN VEN TOR. ML 4 lflM 1? 6461443 A TTOR EY PatentedMar. 15, 1932 uarran stares PATENT @FFHCE WILLIAM FREDERICK CASPAR, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T CLEMENT O. MASON,

or STAMFORD,

CON N ECTIGUT FOLDING SEAT Application filed February 27, 1930. SerialNo.431,693.

This invention relates to folding seats which may be used as an invalidcarrying member, as a swing seat oras an amusement or exercising device;and the object of the in vention is to provide a device of the class andfor the purpose specified comprising two side parts or rails of rigidmaterial coupled together in spaced relation by a flexible bodyconstituting the seat proper of the device, said body or seat includingan extension at one side thereof also composed of flexible material andformed in conjunction with the seat and back rest or supporting member;a further object being to provide the upper sides of the back rest orsupporting member with coupling devices or strap members adapted to beengaged by the body of a person or persons carrying the seatto supportthe backrest in predetermined position with respect to the seat of thedevice; a further object being to provide means whereby the side railsor bars of the seat may be grasped by the hands of one or more personswhereby the ropes of a swing may be attached thereto, the latter alsoengaging the strap members of the backrest; a further object being toprovide a seat of the class described which may be compactly rolled orfolded to form a comparatively small package with means for retainingthe folded parts in position; and with these and other objects in view,the invention consists in a device of the class and for the purposespecified which is simple in construction, eflicient in use, and whichis constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, ofwhich the accom panying drawings form a part, in which. the separateparts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference charactersin each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one form of device which I employ,illustrating one method of its use.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the construction shown in Fig. 1, indicatingthe method of folding the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device completely folded.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to- Fig. 1, showing a slight modification; and,

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 showing a modified use of the device.In Figs. 1 to linclusive and Fig. 6, I have shown one form of devicewhich in the construction shown COIIIPIISBS. abody ofcanvas,

duck or other strong andfdurablematerial fashioned to form a seat member10 and a backrest 11 arranged at one end of and con tinuouswith the seatmember, the side edges of the seat member being folded around side rodsor bars12 of any suitable rigid material and being stitched as seen at13, note Fig. 3 of the drawings. Portions. of the seat 10 are cut awaycentrally of the rods 12 to form hand openings 14 whereby the rods 12'may be gripped in the manner seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings may bepassed in supporting the device between such persons to facilitate thecarrying of an invalid or injured person in one use of the device or incarrying a person for amusement or otherpurposes; As seen in Fig. 6 ofthedrawings, the ropes of a swing may be passed through the strap loop17 to support the backrest 11 in forming a seat for swing.

InFig. 5 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly modified form ofdevice wherein-the seat member 10a, backrest 11a, rails 12a and handopenings 140; are similar to the structure of the seat shown in Figs. 1to 4 and Fig. 6 of the drawings, the device being'modified in theprovision of comparatively long strap members 20 in the form of largeloops which may be passed over the heads of two persons indicated at 21and 22 indotted lines in said figure to arrange said straps on the outershoulders of said persons in supporting the ,tion by a strap backrest11a as well as part of the weight of the person arranged thereon andupon the seat 10a of the device.

In the use of the device, it will be understood that the seat memberlO-lOa is arranged in a slightly inclined position with the forward endthereof arranged above the rear end, thus comfortably supporting theoccupant and preventing accidental displacement of the occupant,especially in carrying the occupant up or down stairs or from' aninclined path or roadway especially when it would be undesirable toplace the arms of the occupant around the necks of the persons carryingthe seat, the latter arrangement however, being most preferable when itis possible for the occupant to do so.

When the device is not in use, the backrest is folded upon the seat 10,the loops or straps 17 2O being foldable inwardly upon the seat asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, after which theentire de vice is rolled or folded upon the bars or rails 12 in themanner indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings and may be retained in thisposi- 23 having a suitable securing device 24. This compact device willoccupy but small space and may be conveniently stored for immediate use.

It will be apparent that many uses of a device ofthis character may behad, such for example as in hospitals, as an equipment for ambulances,patrol wagons, as an emergency equipment in public vehicles, trains,cars or the like, in motor vehicles, camps and in fact in every home.

In addition to the utility of the device for carrying invalids, injuredpersons and the like, the device may be used as an amusement device incarrying children as well as grown persons, as an exercise device or inracing or running events and still further, and as illustrated in'Fig. 6of the drawings, the device may be used in the construction of a swingproviding a comfortable and practical seat therefor and other uses thanthose herein specified, may be found; it being undcrstood that myinvention is not necessarily limited to the specific structure orcontour ofthe device herein disclosed nor to the specific manner ofconstructing the same, and various other changes therein andmodifications thereof may be made within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificingits advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: 7

1. A device of the class described compris ing an elongated body ofstrong, flexible material divided by a central fold into rectangular endportions, one of said end portions constituting the seat'for the deviceand the other the backrest, relatively rigid members at the side edgesonly of the seat, and outwardly extending loop-shaped strap membersarranged at the upper side edges of the backrest and projecting beyondthe corresponding edges of the seat.

2. A device of the class described comprising an elongated body ofstrong, flexible ma terial divided by a central fold into rectangularend portions, one of said end portions constituting the seat thebackrest, relatively rigid members at the side edges only of the seat,outwardly extending loop-shaped strap members arranged at the upper sideedges of the backrest and projecting beyond the corresponding edges ofthe seat, the side edges of the seat being folded around said rigidmembers, and the central portions-of said side edges being cut out toform hand grip portions at opposite sides of the seat. j

3. A device of the class described comprising an elongated body ofstrong, flexible material divided by a central fold into rectangular endportions, one of said end portions constituting the seat for thedevice'and the other the backrest, relatively rigid members at the sideedges only of the seat, outwardly extending loop-shaped strap membersarranged at the upper side edges of the backrest and projecting beyondthe corresponding edges of the seat, the side edges of the seat beingfolded around said rigid members, the central portions of said sideedgesbeing cut out to form hand grip portions at opposite sides of theseat, and said backrest being foldable upon the seat and the combinedseat and backrest rolled into a comparatively narrow, elongated parcel.

A device of the class described comprising portions of flexiblematerial, one of said body for the device and the other twosubstantially rectangular body 1 ortions constituting a seat and theother a r tionsof flexible material, one of said body portionsconstituting a seat and the other a backrest foldable with respect tothe seat and adapted to beextended angularly with respect thereto, meansfor reinforcing the side edges only of the seat, supporting loopsarranged at the upper side edges of the backrest and projectingoutwardly with respect thereto, and means forming hand grips at thesides of said seat.

6. An emergency chair adapted to be supported between two persons byadjacent arms and the hands of the arms of such persons, said chaircomprising a seat and a backrest movably supported in connection withthe rear end of the seat, outwardly extending arm receiving loops at theupper end of the backrest and projecting outwardly from the side edgesthereof and beyond the side edges of the seat, and hand grips on theside edges of the seat forwardly of the rear end thereof.

7 An emergency chair adapted to be supported between two persons byadjacent arms and the hands of the arms of such persons,

said chair comprising a seat and a backrest movably supported inconnection with the rear end of the seat, outwardly extending armreceiving loops at the upper end of the backrest and projectingoutwardly from the side edges thereof and beyond the side edges of theseat, hand grips on the side edges of the seat forwardly of the rear endthereof, and said seat and backrest being composed of flexible material,the backrest being foldable upon the seat and both seat and backrestbeing adapted to be rolled into a compact, elongated package.

8. An emergency chair adapted to be sup ported between two persons byadjacent arms and the hands of the arms of such persons, said chaircomprising a seat and a backrest movably supported in connection withthe rear end of the seat, outwardly extending arm receiving loops at theupper end of the backrest and projecting outwardly from the side edgesthereof and beyond the side edges of the seat, hand grips on the sideedges of the seat forwardly of the rear end thereof, said seat andbackrest being composed of flexible material, the backrest beingfoldable upon the seat and both seat and backrest being adapted to berolled into a compact, elongated package, and the hand grips of saidseat including reinforcing rods attached to the side edges of the seat.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname this 30th day of January, 1930.

WILLIAM FREDERICK CASPAR.

